Simpler & Happier Decembers

December 11, 2017

It’s the busiest time of the year…the holidays! This is the time to Christmas shop, party hop, do endless types of crafts, wrap gifts, send cards, and my favorite (sarcasm ahead:) cook some delicious comfort food for these cold winter nights…but all I want to do is…none of it!? I read a few words from devotionals and blogs that all had a common root word speaking to me: simplify. But wait, there’s so much going on…how!? Icing to the cake: I even have a child’s birthday five days before Christmas…how do I pull that off!? 😆
Whether or not tasks need to get done, somehow my brain isn’t letting it be crowded with stress. I want to slow down, look at my kids in the eyes and talk to them whenever they need me, kiss their soft perfect cheeks, give Aaron hugs (and an occasional bun squeeze 😉 ) in the middle of the kitchen, and my favorite of all: snuggle up next to him on the couch and watch cheesy Christmas movies together. I have been intentionally not having my phone around my as much these days unless it’s to take a picture or record a video. I will check social media when my kids are sleeping, but these special December days are priceless, and I want to spend them cuddled up next to my kids, not getting sucked into the vortex that oftentimes is my phone (as lovely and useful as it can be!) There are some that might say it’s silly we live in a day and age that it’s even a problem, it’s just the truth, and I am happy to have a balance with it.

Family picture at the Christmas tree farm

While I’m lucky enough to be invited to several parties, girls’ nights, etc., I was pretty set in committing to a few, but having no guilt when it came to politely declining the rest. I’m so guilty of overbooking myself, which never fails at leaving me empty and cranky for the people that matter the most: my girls and my guy. Focusing on simplify, I’m trying to break the guilt I feel when saying no to something, as any of my sweet friends should and do understand more than anyone that sometimes less to do is so much better (thus they won’t hate me forever if I can’t go to something last minute, or if we have to plan something way in advance so I don’t spread myself out too thin with too many plans.)

The irony of it all, as I reflect on Sadie’s birthday approaching, I realize how much I cherish getting to have a baby before Christmas. While many women can honestly say they’d prefer to not have a baby due in December, I am so happy I had one! The month she was due, I made absolutely no plans, as I wanted to be ready at any time for her to come. We went out as a little family of three to Christmas shop but were home early for Hadley’s bedtime, which is how our love of our December nights with tacky but happy Hallmark movies began. When Sadie was born (five days before Christmas,) I had the most scrumptious, snuggly newborn baby to hold as much as humanly possible all through the busiest few days of the year. She helped me to slow down, and still does whenever her birthday comes. A few people ask if it’s hard having her birthday in the middle of December, but really it is such a joy to celebrate her, and I don’t make my children’s birthdays into anything that stresses me out. The people that love her come over, we eat food, open some gifts, and keep it simple. I’m getting fancy and throwing in a craft for the kids to do, but other than that, she will be loved, get a few things of her own, and what she wants most: have a homemade chocolate cake made by her mama. My sweet December baby just makes me love this happy month even more. 🙂

What I think of when I reflect on having a December baby

Spending her first weeks of life being cuddled by the tree

We’d still manage to go look at a few lights even with a few day old Santa baby 🙂

Sadie’s birthday last year 🙂

While this blog post came out of nowhere (I seriously had no plans of writing until about 30 minutes ago,) maybe there is someone out there that is in the same boat as me, that wants to do a little less this season in an attempt to enjoy it so much more…and that is perfectly okay by me, as I am totally with you! 🙂

Thanks for reading and Happy December!
<3 Christie

PS: a throwback of Reese last Christmas, because she was also so tiny this time last year (and she still is my tiny baby, forever and ever!) 😆

2 Comments

Love this. I just had a December baby. I have to admit even with a newborn, this has been the most relaxing December in years. No last minute dashes to the store or post office, no travel, just baby snuggles by the tree. Before I had my new one, a friend suggested I get everything done before Thanksgiving that I would normally save for December. Best advice ever that I plan on following each year now.